A look back when the world’s fastest sprinter Usain Bolt ‘bigged up’ Birmingham

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt - known as the Fastest Man Alive - retired in 2017 from his athletics career, but Birmingham can never forget his iconic visit to the city in 2012 for the London Olympics.

With the World Indoor Athletics 2023 taking place on February 18-19, 2023 in Birmingham’s Utilita Arena, we are going down the memory lane to when one of the world’s famed athletes was in town.

Bolt, 36, and the rest of the Jamaican athletics team stayed at the University of Birmingham and used the sporting facilities to train for Olympics 2012.

They had their training sessions at the University facilities - where people gathered to catch a glimpse of them, and attended other events around the city. A chef catered special food to suit their tastes as well.

After winning at the Olympics in 2012, the Jamaican atheltics team did not shy away from heaping praise on our great city of Birmingham that took care of them so well.

In an interview following his second win at London 2012 games sprint event - gold medals in the 200m final after 4x100m relay victory - Bolt shared his compliments with a global audience.

Even though Bolt was believed to have come up with the “Big Up Birmingham” phrase it was actually his teammate Yohan Blake who said it. Bolt echoed his teammates sentiments in thanking Birmingham at the time though.

After the 200m win, Bolt said: “The Birmingham people, when we were at camp, they were extremely great to us. They showed us a lot of love, and thank you guys – you guys helped us come out here and do our best.” His teammates Yohan Blake and Warren Weir, who won silver and bronze respectively, also praised the city.

The BBC reported Yohan Blake as saying: “I just want to big up Birmingham and London. You guys have been great. Birmingham people, you guys took care of us and we have to give you all the respect, Birmingham.” While Bolt has not returned since his 2012 visit, Blake visited Birmingham in 2019 and 2022 for the Birmingham Diamond League.

How Birmingham showed its love

Birmingham - which has a vibrant Jamaican community - was delighted the sprinter’s win and praise of the city. There were celebrations of both across the city in so many memorable ways.

A Balti belt restaurant called Imran’s cooked up a jerk chicken ‘Bolti’. Talib Butt, head chef at Imran’s Restaurant, was reported by the Daily Mail as saying: “It has been both a privilege and a pleasure to host the Jamaican team and the city has been buzzing following their fantastic performance and generosity in ‘bigging up’ Birmingham so publicly after the 200 metre race.

“We wanted to honour their achievements with this dish. Essentially, it’s a Balti with a distinctively Jamaican twist – jerk chicken, rice and peas form the basis of this hot and spicy dish. We would love to welcome the team back to Birmingham to try it out sometime!”

Then, there was a 50-inch Jamaican patty by Cleone Foods and visitor centre staff wore ‘Big up Birmingham’ t-shirts. A dedicated hashtag was also launched on Twitter - #bigupbirmingham - to encourage people to speak about what makes Birmingham amazing and what they love most about the city.

The celebrations in 2012 included a 6ft tall wicker statue of Bolt had been placed outside the Council House - though the statuemaker had got his famed pose on the incorrect side.

Athletics in Birmingham

Birmingham’s love of athletics continued after Bolt’s visit. Last year Birmingham impressed the world with the Commonwealth Games 2022.

And athletics are back on in the city this weekend as the Utilita Arena hosts the World Indoor Athletics 2023 (February 18-19).

It will be the official Trial for the European Indoor Championships in Istanbul, Turkey next March. This weekend of athletics will be followed by the Birmingham World Indoor Tour Final will be held at the Utilita Arena Birmingham the following Saturday (February 25).

Scottish athlete Josh Kerr, the Olympic bronze medallist, will race in the men’s 1500m at the event. He won 1500m bronze in Tokyo at the 2020 Olympic Games.

He said: “It will be great to race in front of a home crowd in Birmingham at the World Indoor Tour Final. I had a very good start to the season over 3000m, so I am excited to test myself over 1500m against a strong field of athletes.

“I have raced indoors in Birmingham once before and it was a great atmosphere to be involved in, so I am really looking forward to experiencing that again. The reception for the British athletes is always brilliant, so it will be fantastic to have that support at the World Indoor Tour Final.”

British athletes Neil Gourley and George Mills will also be there at the sporting event. Gourley is the eighth British man in history to run under 3:50 for the mile as he clocked a time of 3:49.46 at the Millrose Games last week.

British record holder Dina Asher-Smith and Daryll Neita will race over 60m at the Birmingham World Indoor Tour Final. Asher-Smith said: “I am so excited to be competing at the Birmingham World Indoor Tour Final in February. I always love competing in front of a home crowd.

“It is an occasion I thrive in, so I am looking forward to getting out there and racing on the new track. It has been a few years since I’ve competed indoors in Birmingham, so it is great to have the opportunity to race there at the World Indoor Tour Final.”

Neita added, “Coming off the back of a successful 2022 for me, I am really happy to be returning to Birmingham to race against another strong field. Last year I set my PB at the venue, so I know the track is a good one for me. And to be racing in front of such a loud home crowd is something I’m really looking forward to and I’m sure the atmosphere will be incredible.”